Light of All Lights
by Claireisclaire
Summary: Minnie Jefferson is an elite daughter of a wealthy man in New York. Her status has made her spread kindness to the newsies on the street, she spends her days tending to the less fortunate. Until tragedy strikes and her role in society is downgraded.
1. Chapter 1

" _There are darknesses in life and there are lights, and you are one of the lights, the light of all lights." – Bram Stroker, Dracula_

CHAPTER 1

"Good morning, Miss Jefferson," Davey said, tipping his hat to the young woman in a modest outfit.

"David, how many times must I remind you to call me Minnie?"

"It just don't feel right, you's bein' a lady n' all."

"Oh, Davey, I am a person on this Earth same as you," Minnie places a few dollars in his hand.

"How many papers, Miss…Minnie?"

"None today, Davey, Father cancelled the meeting on account of," she looked around before stepping closer and lowering her voice, "the protest in Russia, about 500 students dancing in front of an officers house."

Davey smiled, "you truly are an angel. Jack's still sulking from last week when ya didn't visit him. Old boy sat on the roof all night."

"He's a sensitive guy, Davey. You know, a lot of women love sensitive men, the need of strong protectors is over. Women can hold their own now."

Davey took off his hat, "I can be sensitive."

Minnie laughed, "I'm sure you can be, have a beautiful day, Davey."

"You make it beautiful, Miss Jefferson."

Minnie waved behind her as she carried on her way. Davey waited until she was gone to check the money she gave him.

"Holy water," Davey looked at the five-dollar bill in his hand.

Minnie walked down smiling at the familiar faces she knew, passing out dimes to children on the street.

A few small girls almost ran into her, "sorry, miss." They said, Minnie knelt down to their level.

"No need to be sorry, where are you headed too this morning?"

"Mama told us to fetch a paper then come straight back," one girl said. "Only, I'm too scared."

"Scared huh? Well, I know a wonderfully nice young man who sells papers just around this corner, I'll go with you."

The two girls nodded and grabbed part of Minnie's skirt as they followed her.

"Thank ya kindly sir," Minnie heard Jack say as he tipped his hat to a man not paying attention to him as he walked off with his newspaper. "Well, if it isn't the woman who broke my heart." Jack said, crossing his arms with a smirk.

"Jack, put your pride aside for a while so these lovely ladies could purchase a paper," Minnie patted the back of the girls.

Jack took off his hat and smiled widely at the young girls, "hello, madams. What can I do for ya?"

"A paper, please."

"Of course, here ya go," Jack handed over the paper and took the penny from the girls as they ran away quickly. Jack laughed as he stood back up.

"I'm sorry I couldn't see you last week, Jack. How can I make it up to you?"

"Spend the day with me?" Jack asked, knowing he'd get rejected.

Minnie thought, "how about half the day?"

"Deal," Jack held out his dirt covered hand and shook with the polished and clean one of Minnie's. "Ya know I wasn't that upset."

"Oh, really? So you didn't spend all night sulking on the roof?"

"Davey, that snitch."

Minnie laughed, "I never want to make you sad, Jack."

Jack wanted to confess that he felt sad every time she walked away from him, but that wouldn't help the situation. "I know," he said simply. "And it's not so much sadness as it is the lack of happiness."

"I'm pretty sure that's the same thing."

"Nah," Jack sat down, placing his newspapers beside him. "Tell me a story?"

Minnie smiled and brushed her hands on her skirts, buying time to think of one. "Alright, I just finished this one. It made me stay up all night I was so terrified. It's called Dracula, the story of the infamous vampire from Transylvania that searches for the reincarnation of his first love, Mina."

As Minnie told the story, Jack watched her facial expressions, how her arms moved as if she were in the place she talked about. He took this time to imagine that he was in a soft chair in a small living room inside a real house. Jack imagined that Minnie was his wife and that they would start every day with a new story.

Minnie hadn't even noticed she had spent almost three hours with Jack until the 12 o'clock bell rang. "Oh, I've got to go." She handed over a small bag from her purse.

Jack stood suddenly, grabbing his hat and squishing it in one hand while grabbing the bag with the other, "thank ya, for spending the mornin' with me, Minnie. You make life worth livin' in this city." He wished he could tell her how much he hated it here, how much he wanted to leave. Take her with him and go West. But he knew, that a classy lady like Minnie Jefferson could never be with a newsie like him.

"It's people like you who are worth doing it for," she replied. Jack felt his heart nearly jump out of his chest and follow her to wherever she went. Most people don't give him a second glance, and the ones that do are always looking for something from him. Minnie Jefferson always gave and gave, and expected nothing back but a smile and a pleasant conversation.

He looked in the bag and saw a sandwich made with fresh bread and a couple dollars at the bottoms along with a note.

Happy Birthday, love Minnie -

She had remembered, not even the other newsies bothered to remember birthdays, not even their own. But Jack always made sure he knew when he was a year older, when he became a year closer to being on his own.

Jack took a bite of the sandwich and closed his eyes with the feel of soft bread in his mouth. He imagined the people who ate like every day, how lucky they must feel. But then again, most of the didn't. Most of them just went about their day not knowing how lucky they are to have fresh bread, or bread at all. They didn't know about the hundreds of children living next door who went to bed hungry. They didn't care.

But Minnie did. Minnie Jefferson cared. And that is why Jack couldn't leave. Not yet at least, not yet.


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2

Jack woke up when his body was being pushed, he instinctively grabbed the arm and twisted hard.

"Ow, man. Let go, it's me," Davey's voice said. "Get up, Jack. You gotta see this."

"It's Sunday, Davey. Can't it wait until tomorra?"

Jack noticed that most of the newsies were up and most were huddled together, he got a sick feeling in his stomach. "What's goin' on, boys?" He asked.

Crutchie limped over to him, Monday's newspaper in hand.

Jefferson Family Attacked, Seven Dead -

Jack clenched the paper to the point where it started to rip. He then dropped the paper on the floor, the pages flying everywhere. No one said anything, Davey sat down, his nose red and runny but he hid it with a cough. Jack shook his head, "she can't be…I talked to her a few days ago. She…she…"

"Jack," Crutchie said softly, "she usually comes by every day. She hasn't for almost a week now."

"No!" Jack yelled, storming out.

"Jack-"

"Let him go," Davey put a hand on Crutchie shoulder. "He's sensitive."

Jack couldn't see where he was going, but his feet knew the way. His sight was blurred by the tears that constantly fell from his eyes. Minnie wasn't dead, she couldn't be. A hard weight pulled his chest down to where he had to sit down or he would fall over. He punched the soiled ground with his fist until the pain finally set in. His leaned against the nearest building and looked up at the clouded sky. He loved Minnie, he loved her with all his heart. He knew that, hell, he had known that for a while. Why hadn't he said anything? Because of his social rank? Minnie never minded social rank, and dammit, even if he made a newsies wage he would find a better job. A respectable one, work for a bank, or a restaurant even. Work his way up then sell the place and buy them a house somewhere far outside the city. Why hadn't he told her? It was obvious he cared about her, she had to have seen that much. Did she love him too? Could she? Jack thought back to every touch she had given him. How her fingers linger on his when she handed him cash or a bag. Did her fingers linger, or was that his imagination? Didn't her eyes light up when she saw him, or was that the light of the sun in her eyes?

The newsies waited until the sun was almost down to go looking for Jack. Davey found him on the roof, somehow he had gotten past them during the day.

Davey ignored the dried blood on his hand, and sat down next to him, looking at the setting sun.

"She could be alive, Jack. They're a large family," Davey offered. Jack only nodded, resting his head on his knees. "We'll wait for the paper on Tuesday, that'll have more information."

"I love her, Davey."

"We all do."

"No, Davey. I…I love her."

"Jack," Davey turned to face him, "you can't."

"I know," Jack stood up. "I know, I know."

"It's just that she's nice to us. You're not in love with her, you just love how kind she is." Jack shook his head.

"Trust me, Davey, I wish it was that. I've tried to spin it in my head every appropriate way I could think. But it's not true, I love her. I want to spend the rest of my life making her happy. I want…" Jack broke down crying, "I want her to live. Please God, let her live."

Days past and the newspaper had no new news on the Jefferson family. Until one day a reporter came up to Jack and Davey while they were selling papers.

"Hey, boys," the reporter smiled wide, "got a few questions for ya."

"You wanna paper or not?" Jack said without expression.

"It's about Miss Minnie Jefferson. I was told she was very generous to the paperboys out here."

"Is she alive?" Jack asked.

"Is she alright?" Davey asked at the same time.

The reporter wrote down some notes while laughing, "so you do care about her. What's the relationship like between a newsie and a high class lady like Miss Jefferson?"

"Please, is she alive?" Jack pleaded.

"Yeah, she wasn't even in the house. Barley escaped the attackers, poor girl."

Jack kept the tears inside, closing and sitting down silently thanking God.

"Now, will ya answer my questions?"

"No, get out," Davey said lunging at the reporter. He flinched and walked away. "She's alive, Jack. I told ya-"

"I need to see her."

"Jack-"

"I need to see her."

"We don't know where she is," Davey explained. "You wouldn't know the first place to look." Jack nodded.

Davey left earlier than Jack, it was his turn to help clean the floors. Jack walked back slowly, trying to think of a place where Minnie would be. His thought was interrupted by a muffled voice. Then loud laughter.

"Stop," a woman's voice commanded. Jack picked up a metal pipe that was on the ground, he had dealt with this a few times before. A guy tried to feel up a girl walking home, usually a large man like Jack with a pipe scared them off.

Jack found two men pulling at the woman's arm, her body was covered in shadows but her dress was already torn.

"Hey, let her go!" Jack yelled holding up the pipe like a baseball bat.

The woman kicked one man in between his legs, he fell down with a groan. The other back-handed the woman and ran off, pulling his partner behind him. Jack hit the second one on the back with the pipe and they ran faster.

"Are ya alright, miss?" Jack knelt down placing the pipe behind him. Once he got closer, he saw the blonde color, the familiar curl of her hair. "Minnie," he placed a hand on her arm and turned her over where her back was in his lap and she was looking up at him. "God, Minnie." Her face, which usually held a smile and gleaming eyes, was now bruised and dirty.

"Jack, Jack, I'm sorry. I couldn't find you," Minnie stuttered through.

"Shh, it's okay now," Jack pulled her up, placing his hand around where her skirt met her shirt. Her shaky arms went around his neck and her face buried in his shirt. "I got you. I'll take you back to your…uh…where are ya staying?"

Minnie backed out of the hug, she pushed some stray hairs out of her face, "currently? Wherever I can find a clean spot."

"What? Minnie, you've been sleeping out here? That's too dangerous, why did you come find me?"

"I got lost, I've never been this far in the neighborhood before. All the buildings look the same and I…I couldn't go back to the house." Minnie didn't cry, her face was scrunched up like she was thinking hard about something. "I tried to find you, I looked, but…"

"I'm sorry," Jack pulled her back in for a hug, "I know, you tried. It's okay. I'm here. I'm here. You won't sleep on the floor tonight. I gotta bed for ya, it's not fancy or nothin', but it's better than the ground."

"Thank you, Jack," Jack couldn't understand why she was thanking him. After all she has done for him, he would build her a palace and she wouldn't have to thank him.

"Can ya walk?" He asked softly. Minnie nodded but kept her arm around his shoulder. He kept his arm around her waist.

Back at the house, the newsies were all talking when Jack walked in with Minnie at his side.

"Minnie!" The boys shouted all running up to greet her, they all halted once they saw the state she was in.

"Who did this to ya?" One newsie asked.

"We'll make sure they neva see the light of day again."

"Yeah!"

"Boys, that's sweet. But all I could use is a place to sleep." Minnie smiled, grabbing the hands of some of the boys.

"Alright," Davey said, "I want y'all acting like the gentlemen I hope y'all's is. We've got a real lady here, and she will be respected like the Queen."

"Thank you, so much. There are reporters practically living on my doorstep. I don't feel like answering questions just yet."

The boys watched as Jack led Minnie to a bed in the back, near his. They were more than happy to help out a woman who had shown them only kindness.


	3. Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3

Jack woke up first, as he usually does on weekdays, he looked over when his peripheral vision picked up long blonde hair. That's when he remembered, Minnie was sleeping, not five feet from him. He could reach out his arm and touch her cheek.

"Minnie," he said softly. She woke up with a soft groan as she turned over and opened her eyes.

"Hmm?" She said.

"Come on, I wanna show you something," Jack jumped off his bed and grabbed Minnie's hand, pulling her body out of bed. He pushed down the anger when he saw the purple bruise on her cheek.

"Jack, what time is it?"

"I donna know, come on," Jack held lightly onto Minnie's hand, pulling her slightly along behind him. Jack looked back at her as he pulled her up the steps, her hair was frizzled and stuck up in the front. "I would have taken you for a morning person, Minnie."

"I am, when I wake myself up," she chuckled, rubbing her eyes with her left hand. "Why are we up here?" Minnie wrapped her arms around her waist, the cold morning waking up her bones.

Jack pulled up to the edge of the roof, then leaned on the railing, the metal creaking beneath his weight. He pointed his head over at the soft light ahead. "Watch this."

For the next ten minutes Jack and Minnie watched as the sun rose over New York. The orange into pink into yellow, an hombre of light filled the chill city with warmth. Jack hadn't moved, but he did notice that Minnie had gravitated toward him, her arm barley touching his. Jack ended up watching the sunrise through Minnie's eyes, as he couldn't seem to look away. The bruise on her cheek was covered by her uncombed hair, he fought the urge to push her hair back behind her ear.

"It's beautiful, Jack," she spoke turning her head. "Thank you." Their eyes connected and Jack felt his chest concave, he stepped forward lightly holding onto her arm.

"I…I'm just glad you're safe." Minnie slid her arms around Jack's torso, resting her head on his chest. She could hear his heart beat increase, and she wondered if he didn't want her to hug him. A second later his arms were wound tightly around her so she guessed it was just because he was cold, her heart was racing too, but it wasn't because of the weather.

"Jack, would you…never mind." Minnie shook her head.

"What is it?" He looked down at her, his arms trying not to move along her waist.

"I was going to ask you to walk me home, but you have to get to work, don't you?"

"The Newsies can live an hour without me," Jack smiled.

"Are you sure?"

Jack nodded and headed back to the door, he noticed that Minnie wasn't behind him. "Minnie?"

"I'm going to go down the fire escape," she smiled.

"Why?" Jack laughed heading over to her.

"I've never been on one before. They look fun," Minnie smiled as she walked down the stairs, the metal bing-ing as her heels hit each step.

People watched a high class public figure and a news boy walk down the street, everyone had a strong opinion about the situation but said nothing.

"-so I run down the stairs thinking there was a fire when Johnny had just set off a fire cracker in his room." Jack laughed at Minnie's story from when she was little.

"That reminds me of the time Sammy fell asleep smoking a cig and set some papes on fire. The middle of the night, I'm wakin' up to the sound of Davey screaming and jumping on the fire that couldn't have been larger than my fist." Minnie laughed and stopped walking, Jack noticed a while later and turned looking up at the mansion before him. "Woah," thought he knew Minnie's high society status, it had never occurred that she lived in an American castle. He had always put people's attitude into how they lived, if a young man paid him extra and talked with him as he took a paper, he imagined the young man was a hard working middle class man who fought for the little guy. And an elderly woman who scoffed when he accidently touched her hand while handing over the paper was obviously a stuck up governor's wife or mother who hadn't broken a sweet in her life.

Minnie was the exception. Minnie was kind, caring, completely selfless, yet lived in this palace with her rich family and no worries lifestyle. Sometimes Jack would overhear other newsies talking about how she only talked to them as a charity case. Jack would make sure they never spoke bad about her again. The way he saw it, any kindness is worthy of their respect.

What Jack didn't know is that some newsies still talked behind his back about Minnie. But they talked about how strung up Jack was on her, and how she would never settle for a less than poor paper boy.

"I'll try to stop by later today, after you're done with today selling, if that's alright with you?"

Jack wanted to say that she could live with him and that would be alright with him, but that sounded creepy in his head, and probably would sound even worse out loud.

"That sounds nice," Jack said with restraint.

"Thank you again, for letting me stay the night," Minnie said. She stepped forward and pulled Jack into a hug, wrapping her arms around his back. Jack, instead of thinking about his hands, took the time to take a deep breath in. She didn't smell like she used too, like a cloud. She smelled like…well, like a newsie. And that made Jack smile.

"I'll always be here for you, Minnie," he ducked his head a bit, lifting his eyes to watch her response.

"I know, Jack. I hope you know that if there is anything you need that I will be there for you too."

Jack nodded, knowing he would never ask her for anything…well, there is one thing he would ask her.


End file.
